Max Darling hasn't been interested in crime since his brush with a seductive young woman put him in danger of losing his freedom. He even refuses to talk to a woman who calls for help and says she is afraid.

The caller leaves word she's hidden something in the antebellum house Max and his wife, Annie, are restoring. When Annie finds out, she hurries to the woman's home, only to discover her shot. Annie hears her final whisper as she holds the dying woman's hand.

Evidence links the dead woman to a nearby home, where a fortune in gold coins has gone missing. The gold coins, rare Double Eagles, were stolen from a house filled with visiting family members - twentysomethings hungry for money and several with secrets they must keep.

Is one of them willing to kill for a fortune in coins? Or is it the dead woman's high-school dropout son? Max is there when the police arrest the son, but the boy's shock upon learning of his mother's death convinces Max of his innocence.

Max and Annie plunge wholeheartedly into the investigation. But are the coins hidden in Annie and Max's Franklin house? The intruder who shoots at Max seems to think so. And guess who walks in when Annie discovers the secret of that house....

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Listener Opinions

Karen Hufman | 1/28/2014

" It's a cute series. It takes place on an island, reminds me of the south but I'm not exactly sure where. A wealthy resident of the island gets some expensive coins stolen from his estate at the same time his family is visiting. His housekeeper is murdered and her troubled son is arrested. Max and Annie are sure he's innocent and set about proving it. "

Mary Z : ) | 1/19/2014

" I was about 2/3 of the way through this and realized I didn't care AT ALL who the killer was. The characters were not well defined, so I was confused as to who they were, and how they were all related. Good reason to put it down and walk away... "

Susan | 1/19/2014

" A fun read for a summer afternoon. The ending wasn't a surprise, but Ms. Hart, as usual, has fun characters. Every so often I need a book where I don't have to think. Beach reading! "

Kim | 1/6/2014

" Have not read the series for a while, but it seems that Annie Darling and her husband Max have really grown up. Loved this one, but very glad that Laurel puts in a very slight appearance.... Laurel is best in small doses! "

Cheri | 1/4/2014

" As always Carolyn Harts books are pleasing and she offers more fodder for future reading in her recommendations from the Death on Demand bookstore.This book had some intriguing twists and I thoroughly enjoyed it! "

Cece | 12/18/2013

" Light and frothy, I figured it out, Annie did something dumb (twice) but was saved by another...again. "

Karen | 12/18/2013

" The Death on Demand mysteries are one of my favorite 'cozy' mystery series. They are a quick, enjoyable read for me and this latest one was more of the same. "

Barbara | 12/16/2013

" Good listen for a commute! "

Linda | 12/8/2013

" A bit trite and obvious. "

Diane | 12/7/2013

" Good book. Max Darling and his wife Anne become amateur detectives when someone is killed hiding something in their house that they are restoring. "

Susan Erhardt | 10/25/2013

" If you liked the series so far, you'll like this one. The characters seem to be losing some of their charm for me. Laurel, Emma, and Hennie are cartoonish and Annie and Max are becoming boring and somewhat hysterical. "

Chris | 10/16/2013

" This was ok but I have determined that this series is not for me... I read 1 through 5 then skipped to #'s 17 & 18 but I guess Annie and Max Darling are not for me :/ "

Donna Agnelly | 5/7/2013

" A nice light read for the summer. I enjoy Carolyn Hart's Death on Demand series - this wasn't one of the best - figured out the killer pretty quickly but okay for a little light reading. "

Vicky Beltz | 4/14/2013

" Cozy murder mysteries set out of a bookstore "Death On Demand." "

Nick Duretta | 11/8/2012

" This is a very workmanlike cozy mystery with a by-the-numbers plot. Murder is committed, a very typical landry list of suspects isidentified, and so on. Hart's protagonists Max and Annie are cute and clever, and the island setting is enjoyable, but that's about it. "

Jan | 10/31/2012

" A good cozy for those fans of that type of mystery. "

Gloria | 10/24/2012

" This is a great, light, quick read. No sex, and the violence connected to the crime is not gory. Lots of clues revealed as the story unfolds. Pleasant read but not one that especially makes you want to go after the next one in the series. "

Jill | 8/22/2012

" Entertaining and clever. I enjoy reading about the adventures of Annie and Max Darling. "

Theresa Sivelle | 6/6/2012

" I actually listened to this one in my car driving back and forth to work. I enjoyed the easy listening and the characters and there aren't very many "who dunnits" that I haven't liked. "

Mascanlon | 4/19/2012

" Always a good read. I enjoy Max and Annie's adventures and as the series grows so are the characters. "

Diane | 1/16/2012

" A cute plot and easy to read mystery. Only annoying part of the book is the constant naming of other mystery authors and their books. It detracts from the story. "

Kimberly | 11/7/2011

" Annie and Max Darling are always a treat. "

Jennie | 10/29/2011

" Definitely not terrific but okay if you want to escape for a day or two. Annie and Max have gotten a little too perfect and are fairly annoying - or maybe I'm just sick of them and their idyllic Brower's Rock. "

Joanna | 9/30/2011

" Passable entertainment for a lazy summer afternoon, but not up to this cozy mystery series' standard. Generally I find the antics of Annie and Max Darling to be much more engaging. However, as always, I do love the island they live on, and the food descriptions are beguiling. "

Vanessa | 9/7/2011

" Excellent newest novel in the Death on Demand series. Enjoyed the architectural touches. "

Kaye | 4/18/2011

" I really enjoyed this one. It was refreshing to have wholesome characters - helpful,thoughtful, kind. I didn't figure it out till nearly the end either. I would love to visit the main character's book store. If you need lists of mysteries to read, you'll find them here.
"

Catherine | 1/23/2011

" A good murder mystery. Had trouble at first keeping up with the characters.
"

Barbara | 10/23/2010

" A new mystery series for me... very enjoyable as an audio book. Great narrator! I was able to solve the mystery. I'm not sure whether that's because I'm becoming used to the mystery format or because it was easy to solve in this book. In any event, a good listen!
"

Grey853 | 7/15/2010

" I think I'd like this series a lot more if a good editor took away some of the repetition. I tend to get bored when there's a lot of that.

Even so, I did stick it out until the end because I really wasn't sure about the murderer.
"

Denise | 7/5/2010

" The latest book in the Death on Demand series. Nothing to get excited about, but a good book, on par with the rest of the series.
"

Kathrine | 4/27/2010

" Carolyn Hart's books are comfortable & cozy. A great read on a 'low' day. Dare to Die did not disappoint. Familar characters, new players & always a twist. Easy read.
"

Lizpeveto | 4/27/2010

" Another Annie/Max Darling murder mystery. There is more emphasis on the preciousness of love and relationships and we should treasure those we love.
"

Kemi looves 2 read | 4/14/2010

" Tis my 1st Caroyln Hart book - tis alright. I will read another one her books to give her stuff another chance.
"

Laren | 10/31/2009

" A woman returns to our sleuth's island after a long absence and turns up dead. Could her murder be connected to the death of another classmate right before she left? This book is a solid story, but it has nothing special to help it stand out from the crowd.
"

Sierra | 10/21/2009

" I really enjoyed this book. Loved the character, and the Death on Demand bookstore. Felt like I was on the island.
"

Dale | 10/6/2009

" Mnr Bk Annie and Max not moved into their new house, temp living at Nighingale Courts where they met Iris a 28 yr old woman who had run away 10 yrs ago from her grandmother home and drug issue sat high school
"

Other Titles by Carolyn Hart:

About the Author

Carolyn Hart is the bestselling author of the Death on Demand mysteries. Her books have
won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. She is a recipient of the Malice Domestic Lifetime Achievement Award, and In 2014 she received the Mystery
Writers of America’s Grand Master Award. She lives in Oklahoma City.

About the Narrator

Kate Reading is an Audie Award–winning narrator and has received more than thirty Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine. She is also a theater actor in the Washington, DC, area and has been a member of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company since 1987. Her work onstage has been recognized by the Helen Hayes Awards Society, among others.

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